Continuous supply reel for wire processing machines



June 22, 1943. G. F. WALD 2,322,607

CONTINUOUS SUPPLY REEL FOR WIRE PROCESSING MACHINES Filed July 14, 1941 [mew/021' 5mm" 4 04 0,

Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED spares PATENT OFFIC CONTINUOUS SUPPLY REEL FORWIRE PROCESSING MACHINES George F. Wald, Northolmstead, Ohio, assignor to The American Steel and Wire Company of corporation of New Jersey Application July 14, 1941, Serial No. 402,343

New Jersey, at

6 Claims.

The present invention provides an improved apparatus for continuously supplying wire to various processing treatments such as galvanizing, tinning or annealing, the apparatus being designed to supply the wiresmoothiy and free from kinks or other distortion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire-supplying apparatus which is continuous in its operation and which enables bundles of wire to be secured together readily for such continuous operation.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds, and the features of novelty will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The invention will be understood more readily from a consideration of the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 represents a side elevation of one form of an apparatus embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 isan end elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1, the view being taken on the line II-II of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; 25

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation showing details of construction of the wire-feeding apparatus; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged end elevation taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the apparatus of this invention embraces a frame I which is shown as comprising vertical and beams 1, 1', and horizontal longitudinal beams 9, I. The frame stands on front and rear beams II, It which extend horizontally from the uprights 1 and 1' at substantially right angles thereto.

A similar bar it also extends horizontally from the upright I and a similar'bar l5 also extends horizontally from the upright 1. This bar it forms mounting means for the housing II, which will be referred to in greater detail hereinafter, the housing l'l being shown asbeing suspended from the bar It by means of a hook l9.

Also mounted in the housing I! is a bar 2| which carries a reel 23, the reel carrying a coil of wire 25, and terminating in a tapered handle portion 21. The handle 21 extends beyond the limits of the frame 5 in order to be readily accessible and normally rests on the horizontal bar IS. The mounting of the reel-bar It in the housing I! and the free suspension of this housing permits the'handle 21 of the reel 23 to be lifted for slipping another coil of wire onto the reel.

- 31, 31', the outer' race free from kinks and other Also mounted in the housing I1 is an annular collar 29 through which reel-bar 2| extends. This collar 29 carries a tubular planetary wirecarrier arm 3|, the outer end of which is provided with an opening 33 which communicates with the tube 35 extending through the arm 3|. This arm is provided with a curvature having-a radius sufficiently long to cause the arm 3| to revolve concentrically around the reel 23.

The collar 29 is mounted in annular bearings 39 of bearing 31 being stationary, as is the inner race H.

The collar 29 has a hole 43 extending through it, this hole registering with the tubular hole 33 in the arm 3!, and with a hole 45 which extends completely through a flange 41, which flange forms the mounting for the collar 29 in the bearing. The flange 41 is shown as extending all the way through the bearing assembly.

In operation, a bundle of wire is placed on the reel 23 at the handle end 21, which end then is lifted from its rest l5 which enables the bundle to be moved along the reel until it is in the position shown in the drawing. The first end of the bundle then is threaded through the hole 83 and through the tube 35 in the arm 3i, and finally through holes 43 and 45.

As the threaded wire is pulled forwardly, the planetary arm 3| revolves rapidly around the reel 23, causing the wire to be played out smoothly and under continuous constant tension and deformations.

As the first bundle of wire becomes withdrawn from the reel sufllciently, a second bundle of wire is placed on the end of the reel, and the first end of the second bundle is welded on to the last end first bundle. and the operations repeated.

Thus, the reel is made continuous in its operation.

I- claim:

1. Mechanism for holding and unwinding bundles of wire which comprises the combination with a supporting frame, of a reel mounted on the frame adapted to receive bundles of wire thereon for unwinding therefrom, suspension means for freely suspending one end of the reel from the frame, a rest for the reel adjacent 'to its loading end, the said loading end defining means enabling the reel to be lifted from its rest for loading with bundles of wire, unwinding mechanism for unwinding wire from the bundles including a planetary tubular arm through which the wire passes, the said arm being off-set from the reel and provided with a radius curvature, and mounting means for the arm enabling the feedin! and guiding means.

means causing operation of the, said i. lifted from its rest sufllciently .ceive a tubular planetary wire said arm to revolve around the reel responsive to the wire being pulled through the said arm.

2. Mechanism for holding and unwinding bundles of wire which comprises the combination with a supporting frame, of a reel mounted on the frame adapted to receive bundles of wire thereon for unwinding therefrom, means for yieldably mounting the reel outhe for the reel adjacent to its loading end, which loaflnl end defines means enabling the reel to be lifted from its rest of wire, unwindin wire from the bundles. including wire and mechanism for g mechanism for unthe. said responsively to a pulling the unwound portion of the wire.

3. Mechanism force exerted on upporting frame, of a reel mounted on adapted to receive bundles of wire unwinding therefrom, means for its loading end, which loading end defines means enabling the reelto to. receive handles of wire, and unwinding and guiding eehnninm for windin wire from the bundle respmlively to-sumcient pull being exerted on preview unwound portions of the wire carried by th said 4. for holding bundles of wire,which comprises the combination with a supporting frame of a reel adapted to resuooessivef bundles of wire andto hold a plurality thereo for continuous operation of a stationary bar for immovably supporting the reel,

carrier adapted to receive wire from the bundles, and mounting means suspended from the frame for revolvably mountcarrier for revolving around the supporting bar thereof,

' the said reel directly supporting the total weight of each bundle or wire placed thereon and having its forward end mounted in the said mounting means with its rearw rd end held on a portion of frame,-a rest sufficiently to receive holding and unwinding bundles of wire which comprises the combination with a mounting the reel on the frame, a rest and unwinding aseaeov the supporting framefthe said wire carrier and mounting-means being adapted to receive wire threaded therethrough from the bundles.

5. M for holding and unwinding which comprises the combination with a supporting frame and stationary reel and for suspending the reel from the frame, and

means for mounting the arm in the housing, the said means having an opening therethrough communicating-with the opening in the said arm to enable passage of the wire through the arm and mounting means, the'said am being ofll-set'with respect to the reel, so that a pull exerted on the wire will cause the arm ly supporting the total weight of'each'bundle' of wire placed thereon.

6. Mechunialn for a 30 bundles of wire, which comprises the combination with a supporting frame, of a stationary reel of wire thereon for continuous" unwinding opera tion, a stationarybar supporting'th'e reel, suspension means for suspen g the bar from; the frame, a tubular planetaryv wire-supply 'arm adapted to receive wire threaded'therethrou'gh from the reel, the said arm being ofi-set from the reel and being revolvable around the reel'responsively to the threaded wire being pulled, and mounting means for'the said arm enabling the arm to revolve around the said reel and tl'rejstationaiy supporting bar thereof, the said reel-directly sup'pq ing the totalweight of eachhundle of wireplaced'thereon. I

I GEORGE F.

to revolve around the reel and the stationary supporting bar thereof for feeding wire uniformly therefrom, the reel directmounted on the frame adapted to receive bundles" 

